“A Rude, Terrible Person”

Thomas Jefferson said, “Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost.” There has always been an adversarial relationship between the press and the government. The most recent example of this was the confrontation between CNN White House Correspondent Jim Acosta and President Trump at a bizarre and troubling news conference this past week. Acosta has been aggressive in questioning and challenging the president, and his Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders at the daily White House briefings. Trump has repeatedly criticized CNN for its reporting on his administration calling it “fake news” when it report things he doesn’t like, or it calls him out for making obvious false statements and telling lies. But, the dramatic exchange on live TV between Acosta and Trump was something we’ve never seen before.

There have been aggressive White House correspondents in the past. Dan Rather challenging President Nixon during the Watergate investigation. Sam Donaldson asking the tough questions of all the presidents he covered. Yes, Acosta is pushy and aggressive. But, that’s what reporters have to be sometimes to hold presidents accountable for what they say and do. Presidents have to be able defend themselves under pressure without resorting to bullying and personal attacks. Acosta, who only stood a few feet in front of the president, asked a perfectly legitimate question about the caravan of immigrants making its way through Mexico toward the Texas boarder. Trump has called it “an invasion”. He’s sent thousands of troops to the border to help Border Patrol agents stop the immigrants. He has said there are criminals and gang members in the group who are coming here to commit crimes, of which, there has been no proof. Acosta asked why the president calls it an invasion when it’s hundreds of miles away, and why the president was demonizing the immigrants. Trump said he wanted immigrants to come in legally. That we needed them to fill all the jobs we have, but there was a process. Acosta persisted on the issue of calling it an invasion.

That’s when Trump cracked. He said, “ Let me run the country, and you run CNN.” That goes to the core of Trump’s twisted belief and misunderstanding of the fundamental values of a free press, and all Americans right to question their elected officials. We don’t let anyone just “run the country” and mind our own business. It doesn’t work that way. The president works for us. We do elect him to run the country, but he answers to us. He could have calmly answered Acosta’s question and explained why he was so concerned about the immigrant caravan. But, he was insulted that someone would question him. When Acosta tried to continue, Trump said “That’s enough”, as if he was talking to a misbehaving child. When Acosta tried to ask about possible indictments coming out the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, Trump got angrier. He said he wasn’t concerned because the investigation was “a hoax”. Then, as it always does with a bully, it got personal. Trump said, “Put down the mike…CNN should be ashamed of itself having you work for them. You are a rude, terrible person. The way you treat Sarah Huckabee Sanders and other people is horrible. You shouldn’t treat people that way. When you report fake news, as CNN does, you are the enemy of the people.” Trump accusing someone else of being a rude, terrible person is almost breathtaking.

When Trump couldn’t articulate his position on the immigrant caravan in a coherent and measured way, he resorted to what he always does, the personal attack. The issue didn’t matter. He was being challenged on an issue he has been pounding since he started campaigning for president, and especially in the run up to the midterm elections. Trump went on to criticize other reporters’ questions as “racist” and “stupid”. It’s curious he uses the words that have been used by his critics to describe him. It’s the childish reaction of, “I’m not a racist, you’re a racist for asking me that question.”

We are living in dangerous, divisive times. The anger and fear are tearing us apart. The country is on edge. But, we can’t stop holding leaders accountable for appealing to our worst instincts. Trump has revoked Jim Acosta’s White House pass for asking questions and being “ a rude, terrible person.” But, is he the person who should be stopped from returning to the White House. That’s a question we will all have to answer.